1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ride, in particular for amusement parks and similar, comprising: a drive track, comprising a guide device for guiding at least one vehicle along the guide device in a movement direction; at least one vehicle, comprising a normal vector which is perpendicular to the movement direction and fixated relative to the vehicle and; and a drive pattern, comprising at least a first track section, comprising an incline/decline and a second track section, comprising an incline/decline with a prefix that is opposite to prefix of the incline/decline of the first track section, wherein the first track section and the second track section are connected amongst one another, forming at least a partial section of a loop.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In amusement parks, carnivals, town fairs, etc., different types of rides are being offered. High-speed rides, like e.g. roller coasters, are thus particularly popular.
State of the art roller coasters comprise a drive track, comprising drive patterns. The vehicles are typically arranged e.g. as trains and moved on the rails along the drive track. The passengers typically sit in the vehicles.
The drive patterns typically comprise a plethora of possible track paths. The enjoyment of the ride is enhanced in particular by special curve paths, inclines, declines, or inversions. In order to enhance the attraction and the suspense, there is ongoing technology development, e.g. drive technology development on the one hand. On the other hand, new drive patterns are developed all the time, in order to increase the diversity of the ride.
So-called overhead figures or inversions have been particular attractions for quite a while. In these patterns, the head of a passenger, received in the vehicle, points towards the earth surface, at least for a short period of time. Popular inversions are loopings, in which the vehicle passes through the inside of a substantially vertically aligned loop, or corkscrew movements, in which the vehicle is rotated downward by 180° about an axis parallel to the movement direction, while passing through a certain track section.
Passing through a looping, besides providing a short time overhead position of the passengers, causes strong centrifugal forces in the direction of the normal vector of the vehicle, and covers a substantial elevation difference quickly, which leads to a particular driving sensation.
Such overhead figures and inversions, however, require increased safety measures, in particular overhead safety devices, so that the passengers received in the vehicles, on the one hand, are safely held in an overhead position in the vehicle. On the other hand, it has to be avoided that a vehicle comes to a standstill in an overhead position. Furthermore suitable measures have to be taken, so that the vehicle does not roll along the track in an uncontrolled manner, e.g. when the drive system or the brakes fail.
Should a vehicle stop in an overhead position anyhow due to an undesirable event, particular measures for evacuating the passengers have to be taken, since the exposure time in said position is very limited for health reasons.
Furthermore, overhead elements rather appear deterring than attractive, compared to non-inverted elements, for some of the viewers when viewed from the outside. For example, in rides, which appeal to a larger audience, like the entire family, inversions are left out. Furthermore, there are more stringent restrictions with respect to the age and the height of children.
The additional safety measures, however, imply, that the ride becomes technically more complex overall, and greater acquisition costs and maintenance costs are incurred. This, however, is widely accepted, since an exciting driving sensation is to be conveyed in order to increase the attractiveness of the ride.